Gabriel Berard (dit Lepine)

Berard_MTP_1

• Birth Notes
  • In 1670, he emigrated to Quebec.

• General Notes
  • Gabriel Berard dit Lepine managed the Miramichi Trading Post in Arcadia (now New Brunswick) from May 1 1697 to May 1 1700.
    
    Gabriel and family resided at d'Autray 1673-1696 where they owned farms and then moved to Neuville, Farm records: Adhemar 13 Nov 1673, Becquet 6 May 1674, Becquet 6 Oct 1675, Bourgine 4 May 1685, Chambalon 21 Nov 1705 (documents Neuville purchase of 27 Apr 1696). His childrens' baptisms were recorded at Sorel because it was the only church in the area. In 1696, the family moved to Neuville. No residential stay at Chateau Richer. His daughter Louise was married there but Gabriel was on a fur trading expedition at that time as noted on her wedding contract dated 26 Oct 1694. Louise was likely living at her grandmother's home in Neuville at the time. Notary records of the expedition are by Adhemar 10 Sept 1693 with repayment of expedition loan on 13 Sept 1695. In 1696, the Outaouais fur trading region was ordered closed, giving Gabriel good motivation to then move away from the Montreal area.
    
    The Mont-Louis enterprise headed by Denis Riverin was composed of 2 parts, the primary part being settlement of a colony at Mont-Louis. Censuses taken there 1699 and 1700 (and available from Archives) list the colonists and do not show Gabriel or Genevieve. The second part of the enterprise involved trading posts on the Acadian Peninsula. Specifically, Genevieve was hired to wark at the "Bay des Chaleurs" (not at Mont-Louis). This is noted in the Sovereign Council record for 23 Apr 1703 when back wages were ordered to be paid. Bay des Chaleurs was an area that contained 2 forts or posts on land leased by Riverin from the heirs of Richard Denys. On a notary record of 17 Sep 1702, Gabriel confirms that he has been paid his salary of 400 livres per year for 3 years as Premiere Trade Clerk at the Miramichi Trading Post (relatively near Bay des Chaleurs) from May 1, 1697 to May 1 1700.
    
    Gabriel died sometime after 3 Mar 1705 when he, at Tadoussac, gave or sent his wife authorization to represent him at daughter Genevieve's marriage. This is noted on the daughter's 14 June 1705 marriage contract. On her June 17 wedding record and on the wedding record of Gabriel's daughter Catherine 27 July 1705, Gabriel is not shown as "deceased", though if he died in the Tadoussac region, it may have taken some time for word to get to Neuville. Gabriel died before 21 Nov 1705 when a document, notary Chambalon, recorded his farm as belonging to his "widow". Best speculation is that Gabriel died in the Tadoussac either while on an expedition or while working at a trading post in the region, but no documents to support that have yet been found other than his Mar 3rd note from Tadoussac. Similarly, no evidence has been found to indicate that he returned to Neuville or died there.

Click here for details of Gabriel's family with Genevieve Hayot

---

This page is within a frameset. View the entire genealogy report of Berard families, or surname index of Berard pedigrees or report summary of Berard heritage from "Brassard Family".
Genealogy Search.

---

© 2006 GenoPro Inc. All Rights Reserved.